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Dynomike: Come at Me, Bro

Dynomike: Come at Me, Bro by Frankie B. Rabbit is a creative anti-bullying book geared for children between the ages of three and eight. The story sheds light on the very serious problem of bullying, capturing the complexity of dealing with bullies at school. The protagonist Dynomike and his classmates are afraid of Bully Bob Horn – a big, bad kid who steals lunches and intimidates the other children. But as the story progresses – and Dynomike and his friends stand up to the bully – readers see that underneath Bully Bob Horn’s tough persona, he is lonely and has poor self-esteem.

Rabbit has a background in rapping, which is quite evident with the way his verses easily flow off the page. The rhyme scheme is catchy, with poetic lines such as, “He brings pain with his look, he rips all your books, and he’ll take all your money with the hooks on his hoofs!” The story is illustrated by Lou Francis Isip, whose cute drawings have the classic feel of a Roger Hargreaves children’s book.

Dynomike and his friends eventually stand up to the bully by forming a team, with Dynomike proclaiming, “If you mess with one, you have to get through the rest!” The book echoes what often happens in real life, when problems are solved by strength in numbers. Just as the author and activitist Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Rabbit shows it is our solidarity that gives us power.